South Holston Hatches
Keeping the boat a safe distance from the trout is easy—but getting a good drift on a long cast in swift current is difficult. Position the boat slightly upstream and across-stream from the rising trout. This gives you the best setup for drag-free drifts in swift water.
The Sulphur emergence normally occurs from late morning to mid afternoon, and trout take emergers as soon as the bugs begin their ascent from the riverbed. Low-riding Sulphur imitations such as CDC Compara-duns, Harrop’s Flatwing Emergers, and Sulphur Cripples (#14-16) work well in the early season, from the first Sulphur emergence through late July. From late July until early September, E. invaria Sulphurs are replaced by Ephemerella dorothea dorothea, a smaller species requiring size 18 to 20 patterns. During these late-season hatches, going smaller usually works better than changing patterns.
There are also caddis hatches on the Holston during the spring and summer, but they do not bring as many trout to the surface as the mayflies. This is odd, because the Watauga River, which is just a few miles away, has a great caddis hatch in February and March.
During June, July, and August, another group of insects gets the attention of large South Holston trout. Although the Sulphur hatch is still underway, June bugs, Japanese beetles, and ants invade the east Tennessee bottomlands. It is on this dry-fly “underground” that fly-pattern authority Harrison Steeves has built his arsenal of terrestrial imitations.
The same rules apply for terrestrials as for all other drys. Long leaders, light tippets, a quiet approach, and accurate presentations generate more strikes.
Trout do not rise to terrestrials with regularity, so prospecting may be in order. Casting beetles or ants under overhanging branches and along the banks is a good starting point. A few must-have patterns include Steeves’s Japanese Beetle (#14-16), Harrop’s CDC Beetle (#16-18), and Monster Beetles (#8-12) for imitating Japanese beetles, wood beetles, and June bugs. For ants, black CDC Ants and Parachute Ants (#16-18) get the job done.
After Sulphurs and terrestrials depart for the season, the river goes through what locals call a “slow spell.” Trout are caught, but mostly subsurface with tiny blackfly larvae (in low water) or large streamers on heavy sinking lines when the generators are pumping.
As the chill of winter sets in around late November, the dry-fly fishing picks up. Tiny Blue-winged Olives (Baetis) and midges begin hatching and run through February and sometimes March.
The best days for the BWOs are dismal and gray, and the threat of rain keeps most anglers off the river. It’s tough fishing, but pay your dues and you’ll often be rewarded.
In the South, the humidity is constant—even in the winter. On cold, overcast days the air is damp and heavy with a chill that cuts through even the best insulation.
On these days, the South Holston is best fished at low water. Low-riding emerger patterns such as Smith’s Olive Emerger (#18-20), Harrop’s Last Chance Cripple (#20-22), and Brooks’s Sprout Baetis (#18-22) should be in any South Holston winter fly box.
Fishing the Baetis hatch on the South Holston during the winter is challenging but when you look around to see who witnessed you landing a large trout on a #22 BWO and 7X tippet, you often realize you are the only person in sight.
Boating and Wading
Wading anglers have a lot of room to roam on the South Holston. Although access points are few and far between, the river’s shallow nature allows you to explore vast stretches of water during low water. One of the more popular spots is at Emmett Bridge, where anglers have the option of parking and wading upstream around the labyrinth weir, or moving downstream to fish the numerous riffles, pools, and runs as much as a mile downstream. This area has excellent trout concentrations, but angling pressure can be high.
Farther downstream, there is another TVA access point off River Bend Road—park in the limited-space parking area and hike down to the river. This is a popular spot among South Holston regulars who find the long, smooth pools at the end of the hike some of the most challenging dry-fly fishing on the river.
Riverside Road is another access point for wading anglers. Here, the road follows the river for several hundred yards and offers plenty of pull-outs for parking. The numbers of fish are not as high, but the trout are typically larger. This stretch could be called the “frustration mile,” because simply getting close enough to cast to a rising trout in the shallow, almost still water is difficult. If you are able to get within casting range, half the battle is won.
For floating anglers, there are only four acceptable takeouts. Most guides with drift boats, and the majority of recreational anglers, begin at Emmett Bridge.
The first downstream takeout is at Jack Prater’s house—he also runs the river’s only shuttle service (423-878-5345). The float from Emmett Bridge to Prater’s is about 4 miles, but it can take most of a day to cover it, especially if there is a good hatch. Prater is one-of-a-kind; good-natured and always ready to show you photos of big trout he’s taken on the river. It’s this kind of Southern hospitality that makes the South Holston a special place.
Below Prater’s, the next takeout is under Old Weaver Pike Bridge, approximately 5 miles downstream. This is a primitive ramp at best, and 4X4 vehicles are a must, especially if there has been any rain.
The next ramp downstream is near Bluff City, just before the river empties into Boone Lake. It’s too long for a day float, so most anglers on the lower stretch of river motor up from Bluff City on jet sleds.
Doing everything right is a difficult task, but it is by no means impossible. The South Holston holds many secrets, and the only way to unlock them is time on the river. Pay your dues, study the river, and get skunked a few times . . . it’s good for you! In the end, you’ll savor the success of big Tennessee trout on a dry fly.
Local Contacts-Fly Shops
• South Holston River
Fly Fishing Shop
southholstonriverflyshop.com
(423) 878-2822
• Fly Shop of Tennessee
flyshopoftn.com
(423) 928-2007
• Mahoney’s Sports
mahoneysports.com
(423) 282-5413
Guides
• Guitou Feuillebois
(423) 483-6501
• Mike Adams
(423) 741-4789
Lodging
• South Holston Cabins
(704) 913-2405
southholstoncabins.homestead.com
Note: There are also numerous hotels in Elizabethton, Bristol, and Bluff City.
Licenses
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
tennessee.gov/twra
James Buice is a guide for the Fish Hawk in Atlanta, Georgia, and an avid turkey hunter.
Copyright © 2012 Intermedia Outdoors
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